Digital Geodata Series
DGS98-6 Sole-Source Aquifers of New Jersey

Sole-source aquifers (SSA) are those aquifers that contribute more than 50%
of the drinking water to a specific area and the water would be impossible
to replace if the aquifer were contaminated. Sole-source aquifers are defined
with guidelines set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
as authorized in section 1424(e) of the Safe Drinking Water act of 1974.
Any federally-funded project in an area that could affect ground-water in
a sole-source aquifer must be reviewed by the USEPA. This 'project review
area' includes the aquifer's 'recharge zone' and it's 'stream-flow source
zone'. The recharge zone is the area through which water recharges the aquifer.
The source zone is the upstream area that contributes recharge water to the
aquifer. Seven sole-source aquifers are defined in New Jersey and their project
review areas cover most of the state.

DGS98-6 contains an ARC/INFO Geographic Information System (GIS) polygon
coverage of the sole-source aquifers for New Jersey that are approved as
of June 1998. The coverage was built by the N.J. Geological Survey from standard
GIS files of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hydrologic units, New Jersey state
and municipal boundaries, and aquifers.